Boku goes after the high street with new mobile wallet service

Boku has unveiled a platform that lets customers make online and contactless in-store point-of-sale payments through their mobile network operator.

The US start-up's Paymo service currently lets people in more than 60 countries pay for virtual goods using their mobile number, with the transactions charged to their monthly phone bill.

In a major expansion, it is now widening the concept, with Boku Accounts, to full e-commerce and retail point-of-sale payments, effectively enabling mobile network operators to compete with banks and newer players like PayPal.

Operators can issue their subscribers a branded mobile payment account - which unlike Paymo is separate from their phone bill - accessible via both handsets and the Web. The account allows subscribers to make purchases online and in-app and to make person-to-person payments.

In addition, customers will be able to make in-store purchases via Boku accounts anywhere MasterCard is accepted, using a branded card, NFC-enabled handset or contactless sticker attached to their phone.

Merchants will be able to use the system for loyalty programmes and sending targeted offers to customers via mobile app, SMS, push notification, or online.

Boku is offering the service as a white label mobile payments platform for mobile network operators - more than 200 of which, including AT&T Inc and Vodafone already offer its Paymo service.

Mark Britto, CEO, Boku, says: "We are leveraging the power of the device in your pocket to improve every transaction you make, anywhere in the world, and helping our MNO [mobile network operators] partners expand into the off-line world, while bringing tremendous value to their subscribers and merchants alike."